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170-631: The Australian Vaccination-risks Network Inc. , formerly known as the Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network ( AVsN ), and before that known as the Australian Vaccination Network ( AVN ), is an Australian anti-vaccination pressure group registered in New South Wales . As Australia's most controversial anti-vaccination organisation, it has lobbied against a variety of vaccination-related programs, downplayed

340-449: A Murdoch media conspiracy. Journalist Bernard Keane noted this is the first time anyone had suggested a conspiratorial link between The Greens and a media organisation that has been highly critical of the party. In April 2007, Meryl Dorey compared a NSW Health policy change requiring immunisation for its workers to Nazi concentration camps saying "these are the sorts of [immunisation] tactics you would expect in concentration camps, not

510-523: A social movement , it has utilized multiple tools both within traditional news media and also through various forms of online communication . Activists have primarily (though far from entirely) focused on issues surrounding children , with vaccination of the young receiving pushback, and they have sought to expand beyond niche subgroups into national political debates . Although concepts such as various myths and conspiracy theories alongside outright disinformation and misinformation have been spread by

680-739: A "fake", and in the Telegraph as a "sham" church set up to provide spurious religious exemptions from vaccination. The NSW Health Minister said she was "alarmed that a 'religion' would be created to thwart an important public health initiative." In April 2015 the "no jab, no pay" policy was introduced and the Abbott Federal Government made it more difficult for people to object to vaccination on religious grounds, and required that religions register their objection to vaccination. The policy officially came into effect in January 2016 and reportedly "sparked

850-479: A "town hall meeting" at the university's Great Hall on 25 August 2014, where an audience of students, staff and alumni expressed deep concern about the government's plans and called on university leadership to lobby against the proposals. Throughout 2014, Spence took a leading position among Australian vice-chancellors in repeatedly calling for any change to funding to not undermine equitable access to university while arguing for fee deregulation to raise course costs for

1020-580: A 'callous disregard' for the suffering of children involved in his research". On 24 May 2010, immediately following the striking-off of Mr. Wakefield by the British General Medical Council for "gross misconduct" and "bringing the medical profession into disrepute", the AVN continued to support him, issuing the following statement: "Dr Wakefield knows that he has the love and respect of tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of parents around

1190-427: A 1996 editorial, AVN spoke out against a proposal to add vaccination centres to some shopping centres. Writing on behalf of AVN, Susan Lindberg called the idea "downright dangerous," asking "what if a baby has a fit or major reaction?" She also added that parents are under enough pressure to vaccinate already. In response to a 2002 proposal to extend free vaccination programs, Former AVN president Meryl Dorey argued that

1360-525: A compulsory school vaccination law in Massachusetts in 1855. The Anti-Vaccination Society of America was founded in 1879, after a visit to the United States by British anti-vaccine activist William Tebb , and opposed compulsory smallpox vaccination for smallpox from the final decades of the 19th century through the 1910s. During this period, smallpox vaccination was the only form of vaccination that

1530-566: A deathless halo, not only on their country, but upon the University which called them into being. He promoted access on the basis of merit rather than religious or social status. It took two attempts on Wentworth's behalf before the plan was finally adopted. The university was established via the passage of the University of Sydney Act 1850 (NSW) on 24 September 1850, and was assented on 1 October 1850 by governor Sir Charles Fitzroy . Wentworth

1700-458: A debate on the podcast. Upon declining the invitation, Hotez was harassed by their fans, with anti-vaccine activist Alex Rosen confronting him at his home. In his book The Deadly Rise of Anti-science: A Scientist's Warning , Hotez describes how he and other scientists who publicly defend vaccines have been attacked on social media, harassed with threatening emails, intimidated, and confronted physically by opponents of vaccination. He attributes

1870-415: A digital publication. Living Wisdom ceased publication in January 2013. The AVN's paid-for memberships formerly included a quarterly insert called Inside Edition which contained "12 pages of current news from around the world regarding vaccination". The group is strongly against any form of compulsory vaccination, but Dorey disputes that the group is an anti-vaccine organisation. "We don't believe we have

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2040-484: A family dating syphilitic symptoms from the time of vaccination, when all the other members of the family have been clear. We strongly advise parents to go to prison, rather than submit to have their helpless offspring inoculated with scrofula, syphilis, and mania". Notable members of the Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League included James Burns , George Dornbusch and Charles Thomas Pearce . After

2210-413: A government plan to cut child care and maternity payments to parents who didn't vaccinate their children and to give incentive payments to doctors to give vaccines; she also called for creation of a vaccine registry and adverse event reporting system to be created. In May 2000, Meryl Dorey spoke out against cuts in child care payments for 9000 families who failed to get their children vaccinated. She called

2380-474: A group of linked websites, attracting visitors with one site and appealing for money and selling merchandise on others. Their activities to gain attention and obtain funding displayed a "hybrid monetization strategy". They attracted attention by combining eye-catching aspects of "junk news" and online celebrity promotion. At the same time, they developed campaign-specific communities to publicize and legitimize their position, similar to radical social movements. In

2550-514: A media release the University of Wollongong stated vaccination "should be freely debated" and that the 20,000-word paper was "intended to assist readers - especially members of the AVN itself", in ways to respond to criticism and better understand scientific controversy. Martin is a former member of the AVN. In December 1996, AVN presented Federal Health Minister Michael Wooldridge with reports on 150 cases of children claimed to have been injured by vaccines that dated back to 1991; Dorey claimed that

2720-480: A misunderstanding as to VET and UAC matriculation standards, the scheme has been criticised by Phillip Heath, the national chairman of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. Concerns about public funding for higher education were reflected again in 2014 following the federal government's proposal to deregulate student fees . The university held a wide-ranging consultation process, which included

2890-433: A new building called "Abercrombie Building" for business school students in early 2016. The NSW state government has reduced transport links to the old campus and the closest Redfern railway station leaving main access to buses on the neighbouring Parramatta Road and City Road , prioritising the growth at other Sydney universities. From 2007, the university has used space in the former Eveleigh railway yards, just to

3060-447: A number of new important structures and renovations. As of 2016, the university is undertaking a large capital works program with the aim of revitalising the campus and providing more office, teaching and student space. The program will see the amalgamation of the smaller science and technical libraries into a larger library, and the construction of a central administration and student services building along City Road. A new building for

3230-495: A number of significant bequests and legacies over its history. The following are current professorships (chairs), funds, fellowships and scholarships which are funded by bequests and legacies and named after benefactors: The Grant of Arms was made by the College of Arms in 1857. The grant reads: The use of eight-pointed stars was unusual for arms at the time, although they had been used unofficially as emblems for New South Wales since

3400-479: A numbers game rather than doing what was right for the nation's children. The payment was discontinued in October 2008. The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission criticised the AVN for casting medical practitioners in a negative light as "unethical and untrustworthy without providing any cogent reasons or evidence for making such an assertion". In February 2004, AVN defended Andrew Wakefield 's 1998 study that suggested

3570-449: A particular viewpoint. Particularly on social media, beware of sensational headlines that appeal to emotion, fact-check information broadly (not just through your usual sources), and consider possible agendas or conflicts of interest of those relaying information. Other suggestions for countering anti-vaccine activism focus on changing the operation of social media platforms. Interventions such as accuracy nudges and source labeling change

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3740-463: A pay rise, enforceable targets for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment, and improved rights for professional members. Starting on 23 April 2024, as a protest of the Israel–Hamas war , pro- Palestinian students and staff of the university began occupying part of campus . The protest was described as the “Free Palestine syndrome” by Indian media outlet Firstpost . The main campus

3910-453: A petition claiming "that the "AIDS industry and the media" had tricked the public into believing that the HIV virus causes AIDS". When during a government inquiry in 2015, Greens Senator Di Natale asked AVN why they still referred to themselves as the "Australian Vaccination Network", a name they have been legally instructed to cease using, AVN member Brett Smith accused Di Natale of being part of

4080-522: A portion of the land granted to St John's College (a residential college of the university) to develop the Sydney Institute of Health and Medical Research, now the Charles Perkins Centre , named in honour of the first Indigenous Australian man to graduate from the university, Charles Perkins . At the start of 2010, the University of Sydney controversially adopted a new logo. It retains

4250-482: A possible link between autism and MMR vaccinations, implying that Wakefield had been treated unfairly and that he lost his job for "[refusing] to lie." Less than a month later, ten of the twelve scientists associated with the study retracted their conclusions. In February 2010, The Lancet formally retracted Wakefield's original 1998 article following an independent investigation that concluded Wakefield had been "dishonest, violated basic research ethics rules and showed

4420-454: A provider of “misleading, inaccurate, and deceptive” vaccination information, and has been heavily criticised by doctors and other experts on immunisation. The group has been called the "stronghold of the anti-vaccination movement" in Australia and is subject to widespread criticism from medical professionals, scientists and other proponents of vaccination. It has also been criticised for harassing

4590-645: A public perception that the UCIC does not support childhood vaccinations due to the AVN seminar being held at UCIC's rooms". The AVN rescheduled and relocated the event for 1 June at the State Library of WA. The decision by the Library to allow the AVN to use their premises was widely criticised by the medical community and politicians, with the president of the Australian Medical Association saying he "was worried

4760-607: A rush on vaccines as parents fear missing out" on Family Tax Benefit Part A supplement and childcare subsidies. AVsN president Tasha David and former president Meryl Dorey both appeared on an "expert panel" at a February 2016 anti vaccine event in Mullumbimby (which has the lowest vaccination rates in Australia) at which other ways of evading no jab no play/pay rules were discussed, including falsely claiming "hypersensitivity" to gelatin or yeast , in order to obtain medical exemption. It

4930-411: A studio debate on Channel 7's Sunday Night current affairs program covering the death of a four-week-old baby from whooping cough , Dorey claimed that no one ever dies from the disease, and described her own children's case of the disease as a "storm in a teacup" that was easily handled with natural remedies. The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission criticised the AVN's position, saying that it "ignores

5100-581: A three-day festival at the start of the academic year. Welcome Week centres on stalls set up by clubs and societies on the Front Lawns. The main campus is home to a variety of statues, artworks, and monuments. These include the Gilgamesh Statue and the Confucius Statue. Some other architects associated with the university were Walter Liberty Vernon , Walter Burley Griffin , Leslie Wilkinson , and

5270-802: A vaccine caused an adverse event, or how common the event might be. After Republicans gained a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2023, the House Judiciary Committee used legal action to oppose both disinformation research and government involvement in fighting disinformation. One of the projects targeted was the Virality Project, which has examined the spread of false claims about vaccines. The House Judiciary Committee sent letters, subpoenas, and threats of legal action to researchers, demanding notes, emails and other records from researchers and even student interns, dating back to 2015. Institutions subjected to such inquiries included

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5440-435: A vaccine for a disease which was killing almost nobody and one has to ask, why?" Mortality data shows that during the decade 1966 to 1975, there were 146 certified deaths from measles in Australia while in the decade 1996 to 2005, there were zero deaths directly attributed to measles, and one death due to the measles complication SSPE . The decline in mortality is attributed to Australia's high measles vaccination rates achieving

5610-599: A walk-out by David Armstrong , a philosopher who held the Challis Chair of Philosophy from 1959 to 1991, after students at one of his lectures openly demanded a course on feminism. The philosophy department split over the issue into the Traditional and Modern Philosophy Department, headed by Armstrong and following a more traditional approach to philosophy , and the General Philosophy Department, which follows

5780-585: Is a public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities , it was one of the world's first universities to admit students solely on academic merit, and opened its doors to women on the same basis as men. The university comprises eight academic faculties and university schools, through which it offers bachelor, master and doctoral degrees. Five Nobel and two Crafoord laureates have been affiliated with

5950-573: Is a "diabolical operation". It was customary at the time for popular preachers to publish sermons, which reached a wide audience. This was the case with Massey, whose sermon reached North America, where there was early religious opposition, particularly by John Williams . A greater source of opposition there was William Douglass , a medical graduate of Edinburgh University and a Fellow of the Royal Society , who had settled in Boston. Vaccination itself

6120-411: Is a "very, very strong effort" by the government and mainstream medical community to suppress any information that may cause parents to question the safety of vaccines. Consequently, Dorey argues, doctors often don't adequately warn patients of potential vaccination risks. Several critics have pointed out that AVN itself is guilty of ignoring evidence not favourable to the anti-vaccination point of view and

6290-597: Is a member of the Group of Eight , CEMS , the Association of Pacific Rim Universities and the Association of Commonwealth Universities . In 1848, William Wentworth , a University of Cambridge alumnus, and Sir Charles Nicholson , a University of Edinburgh Medical School alumnus, proposed in the Legislative Council a plan to expand the existing Sydney College into a university. Wentworth argued that it would provide

6460-473: Is arguably the most important group of Gothic and Tudor Revival style architecture in Australia, and the landscape and grounds features associated with these buildings, including Victoria Park , contribute to and support the existence and appreciation of their architectural qualities and aesthetic significance." In 2015, The NSW Department of Planning and Environment endorsed The University of Sydney's $ 1.4 billion Campus Improvement Plan which involved

6630-478: Is headquartered in Bangalow, New South Wales . In February 2010 Dorey announced that she was resigning, but held the position of President until 1 January 2013, when she was replaced by Mr Greg Beattie. Ms Dorey remains with the AVN as "Public Officer and spokesperson". In addition to its website and associated blog AVN published a quarterly magazine called Informed Voice , later renamed Living Wisdom and offered as

6800-690: Is less popular with Republicans than Democrats. While private entities like Facebook, Twitter and Telegram could legally establish guidelines for moderation of information and disinformation on their platforms (subject to local and international laws) such companies do not have strong incentives to control disinformation or to self-regulate. Algorithms that are used to maximize user engagement and profits can lead to unbalanced, poorly sourced, and actively misleading information. Criticized for its role in vaccine hesitancy , Facebook announced in March 2019 that it would provide users with "authoritative information" on

6970-693: Is one example of a successful direct outreach initiative. Another is the New York State Vaccine Equity Task Force. In line with the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE)'s 3C's model, outreach to communities has focused on addressing mistrust and increasing Confidence, providing information to improve risk assessment (Complacency), and improving access to COVID-19 vaccines (Convenience). It has been necessary to counter disinformation in all three areas. Recommendations for combating vaccine disinformation include increasing

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7140-481: Is scary". In Dec 2011, organisers of the Woodford Folk Festival were criticised for inviting Meryl Dorey to speak. The Queensland Health Minister Geoff Wilson advised attendees "not to take [Dorey's] nonsense too seriously". The Australian Medical Association described the group's views as "dangerous", and said organisers "had a responsibility to add speakers who could provide the medically approved side of

7310-519: Is spread across the inner-city suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington, and has been noted for its beautiful architecture and quadrangle. Originally housed in what is now Sydney Grammar School , in 1855 the government granted land in Grose Farm to the university, three kilometres from the city, which is now the main Camperdown campus. In 1854, the architect Edmund Blacket accepted a senate invitation for

7480-465: The Journal of Communication published a study of the political economy underlying vaccine disinformation. Researchers identified 59 English-language "actors" that provided "almost exclusively anti-vaccination publications". Their websites monetized disinformation through appeals for donations, sales of content-based media and other merchandise, third-party advertising, and membership fees. Some maintained

7650-624: The Electoral Act provided for the university to become a constituency for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as soon as there were 100 graduates of the university holding higher degrees eligible for candidacy. This seat in the New South Wales legislature was first filled in 1876, but was abolished in 1880, one year after its second member, Sir Edmund Barton , who later became the first Prime Minister of Australia ,

7820-677: The New South Wales Government Architect . The building was designed in accordance with the university's masterplan by the architect and founding dean of the university's architecture faculty , Leslie Wilkinson , who himself was inspired by a previously unused masterplan developed for the campus by Walter Burley Griffin in 1915. The 2002 conservation plan of the university stated that the Main Building and Quadrangle, Anderson Stuart Building, Gate Lodges, St Paul's College, St John's College and St Andrew's College "comprise what

7990-603: The Stanford Internet Observatory at Stanford University , the University of Washington , the Atlantic Council 's Digital Forensic Research Lab and the social media analytics firm Graphika. Researchers emphasized that they have academic freedom to study disinformation as well as freedom of speech to report their results. Despite conservative claims that the government acted to censor speech online, "no evidence has emerged that government officials coerced

8160-543: The University of New England under the act, but then transferred to the University of Sydney in 1994, as part of the reforms to the University of New England undertaken by the University of New England Act 1993 and the Southern Cross University Act 1993 . In January 2005, the University of Sydney transferred the OAC to Charles Sturt University . In 2001, the University of Sydney chancellor, Dame Leonie Kramer ,

8330-616: The University of Sydney , challenges AVN's claim that it is not anti-vaccination, by referring to the numerous examples of anti-vaccination rhetoric published by the AVN. In 2009, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation described the AVN as the "stronghold of the anti-vaccination movement" in Australia. In 2012 the AVN website promoted the anti-vaccination children's book Melanie's Marvelous Measles as well as T-shirts with "Love Them, Protect Them, Never Inject Them" printed on them. The NSW Northern Rivers region, where

8500-447: The cost-benefit ratio and effectiveness of flu vaccines . AVN's arguments are well-known and long debunked anti-vaccine tropes. Dorey has written that "passing through a measles infection is sometimes required, for whatever reason, to strengthen some part of a person's vital force", and that diseases such as measles , mumps , rubella and chicken pox are benign conditions that do not kill children in industrialized countries. During

8670-593: The 1930s. In the United Kingdom , the Compulsory Vaccination Act of 1853 required that every child be vaccinated within three or four months of birth. It set a precedent for the state regulation of physical bodies, and was fiercely resisted. The following year, in 1854, John Gibbs published the first anti-compulsory-vaccination pamphlet, Our Medical Liberties . By the 1860s, anti-vaccinationism in Britain

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8840-459: The 1970s for a national level vaccination requirement for children entering schools. Joseph A. Califano Jr. appealed to state governors, and by 1980, all 50 states legally required vaccination for school entrance. Many of these laws allowed exemptions in response to lobbyists. In New York State, a 1967 law allowed exemptions from receiving polio vaccine for members of religious organizations such as Christian Scientists . Anti-vaccine activism in

9010-616: The 2000s regained prominence through exploratory research based on 12 cases that made claims about a link between the MMR vaccine and autism . These claims were subsequently extensively investigated and found to be false, and the original study turned out to be based on faked data. The scientific consensus is that there is no link between the MMR vaccine and autism, and that the MMR vaccine's benefits in preventing measles , mumps , and rubella greatly outweigh its potential risks. The idea of an autism link

9180-455: The 2019 Student Experience Survey, the University of Sydney recorded the second lowest student satisfaction rating out of all Australian universities, and the second lowest student satisfaction rating out of all New South Wales universities, with an overall satisfaction rating of 74.2; this was lower than the national average rating of 78.4. In the 2021 National Student Safety Survey (NSSS) on sexual assault and harassment on university campuses,

9350-489: The 33-month period from 1 January 2000 to 30 September 2002, the AVN made a total of 11 unspecified adverse event reports, which equates to approximately one report every three months. In July 2010, the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission criticised the AVN's adverse event reporting system as being "anecdotal and misleading". In 1997 Susan Lindberg spoke on behalf of AVN opposing the announcement of

9520-614: The AVN announced that they would be hosting a seminar in Perth , Western Australia, to be held at the Uniting Church In The City (UCIC) on 14 May. However following a campaign by members of the Church, the medical community and members of the Stop the AVN group, the Church announced that they would not allow the AVN to use their premises for the seminar, as they were "concerned that there may be

9690-501: The AVN initiated a campaign against it, for example accusing the Federal Government of using bullying tactics, overstating the effectiveness of the vaccine and understating the potential side effects. In July AVN said that they were instigating a Federal Court injunction against the campaign, to try to force it to change the information booklet and to simplify the forms required to obtain an exemption. The AVN's statements prompted

9860-400: The AVN is located, in 2007 had a childhood vaccination rate of only 70% compared to the national average of over 90%. In 2016 a recent National Health Performance Authority report showed the region's average vaccination rate for 5 year olds was reportedly still the lowest in the country at 89.2%. The North Coast Assistant Public Health Director warned "Pockets of unvaccinated people in the region

10030-598: The Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network "[act] on very little information and ... [pose] a risk to others." Dorey argues that scientific studies cannot be trusted because they are usually funded, she claims, by biomedicine and pharmaceutical companies that develop and manufacture vaccine products, and that doctors have "financial incentives" to push vaccines. In fact, paediatricians often lose money on vaccinations. According to The Panic Virus , by Seth Mnookin ; then AVN President Meryl Dorey signed

10200-565: The Australian government should first do independent tests of the new vaccines. She said that she had doubts about the accuracy of the existing studies that were "funded ... by the pharmaceutical companies." A member of the government's immunisation advisory group countered that they always assess all available scientific data. In August 2004, AVN spoke out against combination vaccines being considered by health authorities. The organisation claimed that there were too many untested variables and that it

10370-510: The Camperdown campus in the state-of-the-art, purpose built Susan Wakil Health Building. The university also uses a number of other facilities for its teaching activities. The university comprises eight faculties and schools: The five largest faculties and schools by 2020 student enrolments were (in descending order): Arts and Social Sciences ; Medicine and Health ; Business ; Science ; Engineering . Together they constituted nearly 88% of

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10540-483: The Federal Minister for Health to describe the group as "deceitful crackpots", while the results of the campaign showed there were just 89 adverse reactions, and that the campaign resulted in a large increase of measles and rubella immunity levels. At a Perth anti-vaccination seminar on 1 June 2010, Dorey was critical of the government's introduction of the measles vaccine to Australia in 1970, saying "We introduced

10710-891: The Fifth Circuit "severely limits the ability of the White House, the surgeon general, [and] the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... to communicate with social media companies about content related to Covid-19... that the government views as misinformation". In October 2023, this injunction was paused by the Supreme Court of the United States , pending further litigation. Algorithms and user data can be used to identify selected subgroups who can then be provided with specialized content. This type of approach has been used both by anti-vaccine activists and by health providers who hope to counter vaccine-related disinformation. For example, in

10880-529: The French continental approach . The Builders Labourers Federation placed a ban on the university after two women tutors were not allowed to teach a course but the issue was quickly resolved internally. Under the terms of the Higher Education (Amalgamation) Act 1989 (NSW), the following bodies were incorporated into the university in 1990: The Orange Agricultural College (OAC) was originally transferred to

11050-636: The London Society for the Abolition of Compulsory Vaccination, with William Young as secretary. The Vaccination Inquirer , established by Tebb in 1879, was adopted as the official organ of the Society. A series of fourteen "Vaccination Tracts" was begun by Young in 1877 and completed by Garth Wilkinson in 1879. William White was the first editor of the Vaccination Inquirer and after his death in 1885, he

11220-412: The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) found that the AVN routinely ignore information that is not favourable to its anti-vaccination position. The HCCC accused the AVN of deceptively removing selected parts of stories when they report on them, and the misrepresentation of the conclusions of reliable studies. Dorey countered that she was not guilty of selective reporting, and that she "simply quoted

11390-610: The School of Information Technologies opened in late 2006 and has been located on a site adjacent to the Seymour Centre . The busy Eastern Avenue thoroughfare has been transformed into a pedestrian plaza and a new footbridge has been built over City Road. The new home for the Sydney Law School , located alongside Fisher Library on the site of the old Edgeworth David and Stephen Roberts buildings, has been completed. The university opened

11560-515: The UK shows that meningococcal deaths decreased from 67 to 5 in the two years following implementation of the vaccine. The NSW HCCC criticised the AVN for selectively using information to support its position, when there is no evidence to support their claims, and that the evidence suggests that the most effective meningococcal strategy is to widely vaccinate. Following the death of four-week-old Dana McCaffery from pertussis (whooping cough) in March 2009, and

11730-422: The UK. During an online debate covering meningococcal vaccination in 2005, Australian infectious disease specialist Peter McIntyre warned parents "not to be fooled by the limited and biased information from [the] AVN website." The rate of invasive meningococcal disease in Australia fell by more than 60% between 2002 (when vaccination commenced) and 2009, after doubling during the previous decade. Mortality data from

11900-399: The United States to every person within its jurisdiction does not import an absolute right in each person to be, at all times and in all circumstances, wholly freed from restraint. There are manifold restraints to which every person is necessarily subject for the common good". In 1880, William Tebb enlarged and reorganized the Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League in the UK with the formation of

12070-533: The United States, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is used to gather information on potential vaccine adverse reactions, but is susceptible to unverified reports, misattribution, underreporting , and inconsistent data quality . Raw, unverified data from VAERS has often been used by the anti-vaccine community to justify misinformation regarding the safety of vaccines; it is generally not possible to find out from VAERS data if

12240-929: The United States, the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) has been used to identify communities that have traditionally been under-served or are at elevated risk for infection, morbidity, and mortality. Programs have been developed in such communities to address disinformation and vaccine hesitancy. Steps have been taken to counter anti-vaccine messaging by directly engaging with communities. Outreach efforts include call centers and texting campaigns, partnering with local community leaders, and holding community-based vaccine clinics. Creating digital and science literacy resources and distributing them via schools, libraries, municipal offices, churches and other community groups can help to counter misinformation in under-resourced communities. The Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium in Philadelphia

12410-435: The University of Sydney recorded the lowest response rate with nearly a fifth (18.5%) of student respondents reporting experiencing sexual harassment since starting university and 6.7% experiencing sexual assault. In 2022, the university's National Tertiary Education Union voted to go on strike for 48 hours, demanding an end to job insecurity, protection of academics’ right to a 40 per cent research component in their workload,

12580-657: The advertisements. The ads often linked to commercial products, such as natural remedies and books. Kennedy was suspended from Facebook in August 2022, but reinstated in June 2023. In 2023, however, state governments that were politically aligned with anti-vaccine activists successfully sought a preliminary injunction to prevent the Biden Administration from seeking to pressure social media companies into fighting misinformation. The order issued by United States Court of Appeals for

12750-465: The anti-vaccination movement and fringe doctors in a way that has significantly increased vaccine hesitancy (and altered public policy around the ethical , legal, and medical matters related to vaccines), no serious sense of hesitancy or of debate (in the broad sense) exists within mainstream medical circles about the benefits of vaccination. One scholarly article from 2021 has described the present scientific consensus as "clear and unambiguous". At

12920-632: The argument" so the audience were aware of "the risk of the information being presented [by Dorey]". Community pressure intensified resulting in Andreas Suhrbier, head of the immunovirology laboratory at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research , to appear and field questions from the audience. AVN have promoted the Church of Conscious Living , described in the Sydney Morning Herald as

13090-410: The article, Dorey claims that "Whooping Cough is not a vaccine-preventable disease". Critics point out that evidence has shown that the acellular vaccine is 84% efficacious, and prevents 99.8% of infant hospital admissions after a completing a full course of three doses of the vaccine. Their campaign against the vaccine continued during two Channel 7 Sunday Night television programs, where Dorey made

13260-405: The claim that "no-one ever dies of Whooping Cough". During the debates, the facts surrounding the death of Dana McCaffery from whooping cough were disputed by Dorey and other AVN members, and it was alleged that the infant's parents had received hatemail from AVN supporters for their public pro-vaccination stance following the death of their daughter. The filming of this program was the catalyst for

13430-690: The collection of previously unreported reactions represented the largest single collection ever presented to the Australian Government. Dorey states that many of the parents involved had previously tried to have their cases looked at, but had been told by health authorities their cases couldn't proceed because the parents lacked necessary documentation. Gavin Frost, a government vaccination adviser, said he supported increased medical reporting of vaccine side effects but doubted claims of permanent damage caused by vaccines. A published government report shows that over

13600-496: The companies to take action against accounts". The actions of the House Judiciary Committee have been described as an "attempt to chill research,” creating a "chilling effect" through increased time demands, legal costs and online harassment of researchers. Persons undertaking efforts to counter vaccine misinformation, including public health experts who use social media, have been targeted for harassment by anti-vaccine activists. For example, Slovakian physician Vladimír Krčméry

13770-412: The context in which information is presented. For example, correct information can be directly presented to counter disinformation. Other possibilities include flagging or removing misleading information on social media platforms. Research suggests that a majority of individuals in the United States would support the removal of harmful misinformation posts and the suspension of accounts. This position

13940-417: The cultural and religious values of communities. In countering anti-vaccine disinformation, both factual and emotional aspects need to be addressed. Whether people will update a mistaken belief is complicated and involves psychological factors and social goals as well as accuracy of information. There is some evidence that both debunking and " pre-bunking " of disinformation can be effective, at least in

14110-619: The current model of US public health communication, which tends to rely on a single credible messenger (e.g. Anthony Fauci ) and is susceptible to disinformation attacks. To deal with disinformation, community networks would need to address issues of liberty and human rights as well as vaccine safety, effectiveness and access. Networks could also help to show support for those attacked by anti-vaccine activists. Ideas that would eventually coalesce into anti-vaccine activism have existed for longer than vaccines themselves. Some philosophical approaches (e.g. homeopathy , vitalism ) are incompatible with

14280-492: The danger of childhood diseases such as measles and pertussis , championed the cause of alleged vaccination victims, and promoted the use of ineffective alternatives such as homeopathy . The vast majority of doctors agree that opposition to vaccination is a fringe medical science viewpoint. The group has been described by the New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) as

14450-472: The data is highly skewed. These claims are false: while minor side effects such as soreness, swelling, and fever are not uncommon, no large scale scientific study has found evidence of more serious reactions and the purported link to autism is refuted. Former president Meryl Dorey claimed that most doctors are not fully informed about vaccination research and that the medical community as a whole relies on " selective evidence " to back its argument. She says there

14620-658: The death of Richard B. Gibbs in 1871, the Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League "languished" until 1876 when it was revived under the leadership of Mary Hume-Rothery and the Rev. W. Hume-Rothery. The Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League published the Occasional Circular which later merged into the National Anti-Compulsory Vaccination Reporter . In the United States, many states and local school boards established immunization requirements, beginning with

14790-528: The decline before vaccines were invented and that effectiveness has "never been scientifically tested." Scientific evidence disputes this opinion by AVN. Dorey has also stated that the "vast majority" of people who contract disease have previously been vaccinated. Infectious disease specialist Paul Goldwater acknowledged a few vaccines are not completely effective, but said others were nearly 100% effective. In all cases, he said, "the benefits certainly outweigh any risks." The group has also expressed doubts about

14960-522: The efficacy of vaccination. The League dissolved after the death of Higgins in 1929. Anti-vaccine activism ebbed for much of the twentieth century, but never completely vanished. In the UK, the National Anti-Vaccination League continued to publish new issues of its journal until 1972, by which time the global campaign for smallpox eradication through vaccination had made the disease so uncommon that compulsory vaccination for smallpox

15130-463: The elimination of endemic measles transmission in Australia. In 2014 Australia was declared by the WHO as having eliminated local strains of measles. But as of 2015/16 deadly measles cases had returned to Australia. The AVN campaigned against the introduction of a meningococcal vaccine to Australia in 2002. Meryl Dorey accused the government of wasting A$ 41 million on the vaccination program, claimed that

15300-491: The error of their ways". In one announcement AVN falsely stated that Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and the National Centre for Immunisation Research & Surveillance also opposed the 'No Jab No Pay' legislation. Both organisations promptly rejected AVN's claim and clarified they supported the legislation. By December AVN had raised AUD$ 152,000 toward the legal challenge, then on Christmas Day announced it

15470-609: The financial impact of a slowdown in international student enrolments across Australia. This included redundancies of a number of university staff and faculty, though some at the university argued that the institution should have cut back on building programs instead. Critics argued the push for savings was driven by managerial incompetence and indifference, fuelling industrial action during a round of enterprise bargaining in 2013 that also reflected widespread concerns about public funding for higher education. An internal staff survey in 2012/13, which found widespread dissatisfaction with how

15640-507: The first buildings to be designed. In 1858 the Great Hall was finished, and in 1859 the Main Building was built. He composed the original Neo-Gothic sandstone Quadrangle and Great Tower buildings, which were completed in 1862. The rapid expansion of the university in the mid-20th century resulted in the acquisition of land in Darlington across City Road . The Camperdown/Darlington campus houses

15810-460: The formation of the Stop the AVN group. AVN members continued to harass the McCafferys through to July 2010 by sending emails, letters and AVN brochures to the family. Former AVN president Meryl Dorey wrote another blog disputing the McCafferys' version of events, the treatments and effects Dana suffered and the diagnosis of pertussis. Dana's mother attempted to get the government intervene, to stop

15980-506: The group of manipulating research and statistics in order to make its case. "It's been a real characteristic of the anti-vaccine movement ... [to claim] to be looking very extensively at the scientific evidence," says McIntyre, "[but their conclusions are] really a complete misinterpretation." Paediatrician Chris Ingall says that the AVN's efforts are "negative, destructive and [have] no scientific basis." Australian Medical Association SA state president Andrew Lavender states that groups like

16150-456: The group to change its name within two months or be de-registered. The department described the group's name as being "misleading and a detriment to the community". The group changed its name in February 2014. In July 2018 the group changed its name to Australian Vaccination-risks Network Inc. citing that many in their group "did not feel comfortable with having the word 'skeptics' in" their name as

16320-460: The harassment. In a subsequent television interview for ABC Lateline , Dorey admitted she had accused the McCafferys of "turning their daughter into a martyr because she supposedly died of whooping cough". In 2012 the AVN continued to target the McCafferys. AVN member and University of Wollongong researcher Judy Wilyman was published on AVN's website accusing the State Government of using

16490-406: The imagery of four-week-old Dana's death to push the vaccine stating it was the "Government and the media who have been using the McCafferys to promote a vaccine". She also questioned whether the McCafferys had been paid to promote the whooping cough vaccine. The McCaffery family vigorously denied these claims. In March 2016 Wilyman continued to repeat that such child deaths are "anecdotal" and provoke

16660-426: The incorrect explanation was previously thought to be correct. The cultivation of critical thinking, health and science awareness, and media literacy skills are all recommended to help people more critically assess the credibility of the information they see. People who seek out multiple reputable news sources at local and national levels are more likely to detect disinformation than those who rely on few sources from

16830-1173: The increase in aggressiveness of the anti-vaccination movement to the influence of the extreme wing of the Republican Party. Hotez estimates that roughly 200,000 preventable deaths from COVID-19, mainly among Republicans, occurred in the US because of refusal to be vaccinated. At the extreme end, opposition to vaccination has resulted in substantial violence against vaccinators. In Pakistan, "more than 200 polio team workers have lost their lives" (team members include not only vaccinators but police and security personnel) from "targeted killing and terrorism" while working on polio vaccination campaigns. Various efforts have been suggested and undertaken to address concerns about vaccines and counter anti-vaccine disinformation. Efforts include social media advertising campaigns, by public health organizations, in support of public health goals. Best practices for combating vaccine mis- and disinformation include addressing issues openly, clearly identifying areas of scientific consensus and areas of uncertainty, and being sensitive to

17000-942: The initial claims in 1998, multiple large epidemiological studies were undertaken. Reviews of the evidence by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the American Academy of Pediatrics , the Institute of Medicine of the US National Academy of Sciences , the UK National Health Service , and the Cochrane Library all found no link between the MMR vaccine and autism. Physicians, medical journals, and editors have described Wakefield's actions as fraudulent and tied them to epidemics and deaths. University of Sydney The University of Sydney ( USYD )

17170-715: The internet have been argued to be characterized by a number of differences from medical and scientific literature. These include: For example, a 2020 study examined Instagram posts related to the HPV vaccine , which can prevent some types of cancer. Anti-vaccine posts were more likely than pro-vaccine posts to be sent by non-healthcare individuals, to include personal narratives, and to reference other Instagram users, links, or reposts. Anti-vaccine posts were also more likely to involve concealment or distortion, particularly conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated claims. In total, 72.3% of antivaccine posts made inaccurate claims, including exaggerating

17340-489: The ire of many, even to the point of being censured by the state legislature in 1943. The PhD research degree was first discussed in 1944 and began in 1947. The university awarded the first PhD in 1951 to William H. Wittrick from the Faculty of Engineering on 28 April 1951 and the next two were awarded to Eleanora C. Gyarfas and George F. Humphrey from the Faculty of Science on 2 May 1951. The New England University College

17510-591: The issue: e.g. National Vaccine Information Center (USA), Vaccination Risk Awareness Network (Canada), Australian Vaccination Network. In November 2013 the Australian Vaccination Network was ordered by the New South Wales Administrative Decisions Tribunal to change their name so that consumers are aware of the anti-vaccination nature of the group. Lateline reported that former AVN president Meryl Dorey "claimed she

17680-549: The league's Secretary by 1909. In 1906, George Bernard Shaw wrote a supportive letter to the National Anti-Vaccination League, equating methods of vaccination with "rubbing the contents of the dustpan into the wound". In 1908, the Anti-Vaccination League of America was created by Charles M. Higgins and industrialist John Pitcairn Jr. , with anti-vaccination campaigns focused on New York and Pennsylvania . Members were opposed to compulsory vaccination laws. Higgins

17850-513: The legislation a type of " civil conscription " and said the program was likely in violation of the Constitution . Wooldridge responded that the claim was "nonsense" because the requirement was "simply a condition on government financial assistance" and that families had the choice to accept it or not. In July 2007, AVN spoke out against the government's practice of giving pediatricians bonus incentives for immunising their patients. Dorey argued that

18020-421: The majority of higher education students. An investigation by Fairfax in 2015 revealed widespread cheating at universities across NSW, including the University of Sydney. The university later established a taskforce on academic misconduct to reduce cheating and academic misconduct. In 2016, the university introduced plans to consolidate existing degrees to reduce the overall number of programs it offered. In

18190-662: The medical establishment and the government to reap huge profits for the medical establishment at the expense of the public." However, the authors only considered the use of "newspaper articles and letters, books, journals, and pamphlets to warn against the dangers of vaccination", and did not address the impact of the internet. Comments on YouTube videos during the COVID-19 pandemic clustered similarly around "concerns about side-effects, effectiveness, and lack of trust in corporations and government". In some instances, anti-vaccine organizations have used names intended to sound non-partisan on

18360-422: The microbiological paradigm that explains how the immune system and vaccines work. Vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccine activism exist within a broader context that involves cultural tradition, religious belief, approaches to health and disease, and political affiliation. Opposition to variolation for smallpox (a predecessor to vaccination) was organized as early as the 1720s around the premise that vaccination

18530-435: The nineteenth century, the principles, practices and impact of vaccination were matters of active scientific debate. The principles behind vaccination were not clearly understood until the end of the nineteenth century. The importance of hygiene in the preparation, storage, and administration of vaccines was not always understood or practiced. Reliable statistics on vaccine efficacy and side effects were difficult to obtain before

18700-503: The opportunity for "the child of every class, to become great and useful in the destinies of his country" and that a state secular university was imperative for a society aspiring towards self-government. So far from being an institution for the rich, I take It to be an institution for the poor. ... I trust that, from the pregnant womb of this institution will arise a long list of illustrious names—of statesmen—of patriots—of philanthropists—of philosophers—of poets and of heroes, who will shed

18870-431: The organisation finding that AVN fundraising appeals had not been conducted in good faith for charitable purposes, had been improperly administered and were not in the public interest. In July 2009, the AVN claimed it had more than 3500 members; however, in a constitutional change voting proxy form published in March 2010, the AVN revealed the actual membership is considerably lower, at around 1867 financial members. The AVN

19040-588: The parents of a victim of vaccine-preventable disease, and for promoting the false idea that shaken baby syndrome is actually vaccine injury. On 14 October 2010, the organisation's right to raise funds was stripped from it by the New South Wales Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing , stating that its appeals had "not been conducted in good faith for charitable purposes". In December 2012, the New South Wales Office of Fair Trading issued an order for

19210-468: The parents of the deceased children saying they are "promoting the death of their child to whooping cough, and lobby groups ... have provided awards to these parents for their efforts [and] they receive financial rewards from pro-vaccine lobby groups for their efforts". In September 2009, AVN campaigned against the swine flu vaccine , calling it "madness" to use a vaccine which they claimed was "laden with toxic mercury." Dorey further argued that more testing

19380-425: The practice was unethical and led to doctors making decisions based on their pocket book rather than their conscience. She would later liken the payment to a bribe noting that doctors aren't paid extra for prescribing antibiotics, for example. Dorey further argued that the government began the practice in order to meet World Health Organization mandates on vaccination percentages and thus was more interested in playing

19550-612: The presence of trusted health agencies and credible information on social media, partnering with social media platforms to promote evidence-based public health information, and identifying and responding to emerging concerns and disinformation campaigns. Networked communities of public health officials and other stakeholders, connecting with the public through a variety of credible and trusted messengers, are recommended. Sharing of messages through such networks could help to debunk and counter highly networked and coordinated disinformation attacks. A networked community approach would differ from

19720-509: The procedure, and complaining that these petitions had not been made public. The journal reported the formation of the Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League "To overthrow this huge piece of physiological absurdity and medical tyranny", and quoted Richard Gibbs (a cousin of John Gibbs) who ran the Free Hospital at the same address as stating "I believe we have hundreds of cases here, from being poisoned with vaccination, I deem incurable. One member of

19890-596: The progress of the brightest discovery which has ever been made! But the contest is in vain! Time has drawn aside the veil which obstructed our knowledge of this invaluable blessing; and in the examples of the Emperor of Constantinople, of the Dowager Empress of Russia, and the King of Spain, we may date the downfall of further opposition." Coxe's expectation of an end to opposition to vaccination proved premature, and through much of

20060-536: The real world, where they threaten and bully the opposition. And what is scarier again is that the AVN is actively trying to stop parents who have lost children to deadly - but preventable - diseases, from speaking out about the need to vaccinate." The Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network has regularly opposed the pro-vaccine positions adopted by the Australian government, instead defending controversial and discredited research. AVN also distributes literature, sponsors seminars, and collects adverse reaction reports. In

20230-552: The reason for the change. The group decided that the word "skeptic" too closely aligned them with Scientific Skepticism organisations such as the Australian Skeptics . The Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network was formed in 1994 as the Vaccination Awareness Network by Meryl Dorey, a medically unqualified American who moved to Australia with her Australian husband, saying she got involved after her eldest son

20400-489: The right to tell people whether or not to vaccinate", says Dorey who adds, "but neither does the government." She claims that the group is just trying to fill "the information void" created by a pro-vaccine government and medical community that ignores negative information. Dorey considers herself, "pro-information and pro-choice". Independent commentators generally reject these claims and point to numerous errors and distortions in AVN's statements about vaccines. Julie Leask from

20570-506: The risks of exposure to, and the adverse effects of childhood illnesses". Independent data shows that measles causes the most vaccine-preventable deaths of any disease. It resulted in about 96,000 deaths in 2013. Before immunization in the United States between three and four million cases occurred each year, and the fatality rate is approximately 0.2% of those infected. Most of those who are infected and who die are less than five years old. Infectious disease specialist Peter McIntyre has accused

20740-582: The risks of vaccines and minimizing risks of disease. A number of specific disinformation tactics have been noted in anti-vaccination messaging, including: Information is more likely to be believed after repeated exposure. Disinformers use this illusory truth effect as a tactic, repeating false information to make it feel familiar and influence belief. Anti-vaccine activists have leveraged social media to develop interconnected networks of influencers that shape people's opinion, recruit allies, impact policy and monetize vaccine-related disinformation. In 2022,

20910-399: The sale funded the establishment of many endowed professorial chairs at the Charles Perkins Centre , where a room dedicated to the painting, now exists. Action initiated by then-Vice Chancellor Michael Spence to improve the financial sustainability of the university caused controversy among some students and staff. In 2012, Spence led efforts to cut the university's expenditure to address

21080-491: The same arms, but they take on a more modern look. There have been stylistic changes, the main one being the coat of arm's mantling , the shape of the escutcheon (shield), the removal of the motto scroll, and also others more subtle within the arms itself, such as the mane and fur of the lion, the number of lines in the open book and the colouration. The original Coat of Arms from 1857 continues to be used for ceremonial and other formal purposes, such as on testamurs. In 2010,

21250-601: The same time, however, the anti-vax movement has partially succeeded in distorting common understandings of science in popular culture . In a 2002 paper in the British Medical Journal , two medical historians suggested that the arguments made against the safety and effectiveness of vaccines in the late 20th century are similar to those of the early anti-vaccinationists. Both the 19th and 20th century arguments included "vaccine safety issues, vaccine failures, infringement of personal liberty, and an unholy alliance between

21420-497: The sections that [she] felt were important". In reality, doctors have access to extensive information on vaccine safety and the medical literature includes all known significant potential adverse reactions. The AVN has also questioned the effectiveness of vaccines. While admitting that infection rates dropped dramatically in the twentieth century, they argue that the change is due in large part to improved hygiene and living conditions. Dorey has argued that infection rates were already on

21590-419: The short term. Elements that may help to correct inaccurate information include: warning people before they are exposed to misinformation; high perceived credibility of message sources, affirmations of identity and social norms; graphical presentation; and focusing attention on clear core messages. Alternative explanations of a situation need to fit plausibly into the original scenario and ideally indicate why

21760-459: The six months before and after the policy changes. It found a moderate but significant decrease in the number of likes for anti-vaccine posts following the policy changes. Likes of pro-vaccine posts were unchanged. Facebook has been criticized for not being more aggressive in countering disinformation. In response to efforts to police misinformation, anti-vaccine communities on social media have adopted coded language to refer to vaccinated persons and

21930-462: The sort of tactics you would expect in the Australian health-care system." The policy was also opposed by some civil libertarian and health-care groups, but the NSW Nurses' Association noted that "vaccinations have always been compulsory for health workers" and that the change was only a minimal update to the existing policy. "The scaremongering that anti vaccination campaigners engage in extends to

22100-488: The south of Darlington , for examination purposes. In 2018, New South Wales Minister for Heritage , Gabrielle Upton agreed to put the University of Sydney and some adjacent sites on the state heritage register, creating a conservation area that would include the Camperdown campus, and the nearby Victoria Park . The beginning of 2021 saw the closure of the Cumberland campus, with a number of health disciplines moving to

22270-533: The student-run University of Sydney Union (once referred to as "the Union", but now known as "the USU") in possession of three buildings – Wentworth, Manning and Holme Buildings. These buildings house a large proportion of the university's catering outlets, and provide space for recreational rooms, bars and function centres. One of the largest activities organised by the Union is Welcome Week (formerly Orientation Week or 'O-week'),

22440-475: The subsequent government campaigns to improve pertussis immunisation, the AVN launched a campaign against the pertussis vaccine, using the death of the child in the campaign materials, claiming that the she did not die from pertussis. The AVN's public campaign against the pertussis vaccine began with an article in the May 2009 issue of Living Wisdom written by Meryl Dorey, which questioned the safety and effectiveness of

22610-414: The topic of vaccines. Facebook introduced several policies chosen to reduce the impact of anti-vaccine content, without actually removing it. These included reducing the ranking of anti-vaccine sources in searches and not recommending them; rejecting ads and targeted advertising that contained vaccine misinformation; and using banners to present vaccine information from authoritative sources. A study examined

22780-769: The university as chair of the Sydney Peace Foundation and a member of the executive council of the Research Institute for Asia and the Pacific. In 2005, the Public Service Association of New South Wales and the Community and Public Sector Union were in dispute with the university over a proposal to privatise security at the main campus (and the Cumberland campus). In 2007, the university agreed to acquire

22950-452: The university as graduates and faculty. The university has educated eight Australian prime ministers , including incumbent Anthony Albanese ; two governors-general of Australia ; 13 premiers of New South Wales ; and 26 justices of the High Court of Australia , including five chief justices . The university has produced 110 Rhodes Scholars and 19 Gates Scholars . The University of Sydney

23120-448: The university community was divided over allowing students from an elite private school, Scots College , to enter university via a "pathway of privilege" by means of enrolling in a Diploma of Tertiary Preparation rather than meeting HSC entry requirements. The university charged students $ 12,000 to take the course and have since successfully admitted a number of students to degree courses. An exposé by Fairfax which turned out to be based on

23290-527: The university received a Pablo Picasso painting from the private collection of an anonymous donor. The painting, Jeune Fille Endormie , which had not been publicly seen since 1939, depicts the artist's lover, Marie-Thérèse Walter and was donated on the strict understanding that it would be sold and the proceeds directed to medical research. The painting was auctioned at Christie's in London and sold for £13.5 million ($ 20.6 million AUD). The proceeds of

23460-465: The university was being managed. Asked to rate their level of agreement with a series of statements about the university, 19 per cent of those surveyed believed "change and innovation" were handled well by the university. In the survey, 75 per cent of university staff indicated senior executives were not listening to them, while only 22 per cent said change was handled well and 33 per cent said senior executives were good role models. During Spence's term,

23630-452: The university's administrative headquarters, and the Faculties of Arts, Science, Education and Social Work, Pharmacy, Veterinary Science, Economics and Business, Architecture , and Engineering. It is also the home base of the large Sydney Medical School , which has numerous affiliated teaching hospitals across the state. The main campus is also the focus of the university's student life, with

23800-418: The university's students and each had a student enrolment over 8,000 (at least 13% of total students). The Centre for Continuing Education is an adult education provider within the university. Extension lectures at the university were inaugurated in 1886, 36 years after the university's founding, making it Australia's longest running university continuing education program. The university has received

23970-501: The use of the venue could give the group credibility" and the Shadow Arts Minister, John Hyde, saying "Why should a group that endangers the lives of WA children be allowed to speak and promote their cause at a taxpayer-funded venue dedicated to learning?" Two days after the event, Fiona Stanley AC was interviewed by Perth Radio about the seminar, describing the views presented by the AVN as "bizarre", and "so misinformed that it

24140-652: The vaccine and the dangers of whooping cough itself. Critics pointed out that Dorey's article contained numerous errors of fact and omission. While the article correctly stated that Sweden had previously withdrawn pertussis vaccination in 1979 due to research showing it was ineffective, she failed to reveal that the vaccine then used in Sweden was different to the effective vaccine used in other countries such as Australia, nor did she reveal that Sweden reintroduced pertussis vaccination in 1996 and this had resulted in huge incidence reduction, with cases falling by 80–90% within 3 years. In

24310-588: The vaccine had shown a large number of adverse reactions in the United Kingdom and had never been tested for effectiveness. However the vice-president of the AMA, Trevor Mudge, refuted her claims, pointing out that meningococcal disease is extremely dangerous and that "Vaccination really is the only strategy for this condition that is likely to work". He said the vaccine had been extensively tested and contrary to Dorey's claims had been found to be safe and highly effective in

24480-724: The vaccines themselves. Supply-side interventions reduce circulation of misinformation directly at their sources through actions such as application of social media policies, regulation, and legislation. A study published in the journal Vaccine examined advertisements posted in the three months prior to the Facebook's 2019 policy changes. It found that 54% of the anti-vaccine advertisements on Facebook were placed by just two organizations, funded by well-known anti-vaccination activists. The Children's Health Defense / World Mercury Project chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Stop Mandatory Vaccination , run by campaigner Larry Cook, posted 54% of

24650-474: The world. Whether or not the GMC which is stacked with corrupt influences strikes him off is of no consequence. He will continue his work and autistic families everywhere will benefit as a result." In a statement following the ruling, Wakefield said "I never made the claim at the time, nor do I still make the claim that MMR is a cause of autism." Prior to the commencement of the 1998 Australian Measles Control Campaign ,

24820-697: Was a prominent member of the government advisory team during the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia , and was the first person in that country to receive a COVID-19 vaccine . Due to his prominent role in the vaccination campaign, Krčméry and his family became a target of anti-vaccine activists, who physically threatened him and his family. In June 2023, Texas-based physician and researcher Peter Hotez tweeted his concerns about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sharing misinformation about vaccines on Joe Rogan 's podcast. Rogan, Kennedy, and Twitter owner Elon Musk asked Hotez to participate in

24990-623: Was a victim of hate groups and vested interests" in response to the ruling. Although physicians and nurses are still rated as the most trusted source for vaccine information, some vaccine-hesitant individuals report being more comfortable discussing vaccines with providers of complementary and alternative (CAM) treatments. With the rise of the internet, many people have turned online for medical information. In some instances, anti-vaccine activists seek to steer people away from vaccination and health-care providers and towards alternative medicines sold by certain activists. Anti-vaccination writings on

25160-548: Was active in the working class, labor aristocracy, and lower middle class. It had become associated with alternative medicine and was part of a larger culture of social and political dissent that included both labor unions and religious dissenters. In June 1867, the publication "Human Nature" campaigned in the United Kingdom against "The Vaccination Humbug", reporting that many petitions had been presented to Parliament against Compulsory Vaccination for smallpox , including from parents who alleged that their children had died through

25330-540: Was allegedly adversely affected by DPT and MMR vaccines administered when he was a child. The group applied for tax-deductible charity status through the Australian Taxation Office and finally obtained it in 2002; it lost that status in 2007 by allowing it to lapse, and obtained it again in 2009. In 2010 the group's tax-exempt status was revoked by the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing after an audit of

25500-468: Was among the first members of the university's senate, mentioned in the governor's proclamation alongside three religious ministers. Two years later, the university was inaugurated on 11 October 1852 in the Big Schoolroom of what is now Sydney Grammar School . The first principal was John Woolley , the first professor of chemistry and experimental physics was John Smith . Sir William Charles Windeyer

25670-541: Was bequeathed to the university, which received a sum of £200,000 in 1889. This was thanks in part due to Sir William Montagu Manning (chancellor 1878–95) who argued against the claims by British tax commissioners. The following year, seven professorships were created in anatomy, zoology, engineering, history, law, logic and mental philosophy, and modern literature. In 1924, the university awarded its first Doctor of Science in Engineering degree to John Bradfield . His thesis

25840-459: Was described as the "Mecca of antivaccination". The UK movement grew, and as the influence of the London Society overshadowed the Hume-Rotherys and it took the national lead, it was decided in February 1896 to re-form the Society as The National Anti-Vaccination League . Arthur Phelps was elected as president. In 1898, the league took on a school leaver named Lily Loat , who was elected as

26010-431: Was dropping the legal action, citing a "poor chance of success". Anti-vaccination Anti-vaccine activism , which collectively constitutes the " anti-vax " movement , is a set of organized activities proclaiming opposition to vaccination , and these collaborating networks have often fought to increase vaccine hesitancy by disseminating vaccine-based misinformation and/or forms of active disinformation . As

26180-461: Was elected to the Legislative Assembly. The university was one of the first in the world to admit women on an equal basis with men, doing so from 1881. In 1885 the first women to receive BA degrees from the university were Mary Elizabeth Brown and Isola Florence Thompson , while Thompson became the first woman to graduate with an MA in 1887. Most of the estate of John Henry Challis

26350-500: Was first suggested in the early 1990s and came to public notice largely as a result of the 1998 Lancet MMR autism fraud, which Dennis K Flaherty at the University of Charleston characterized as "perhaps the most damaging medical hoax of the last 100 years". The fraudulent research paper authored by Andrew Wakefield and published in The Lancet falsely claimed the vaccine was linked to colitis and autism spectrum disorders. The paper

26520-415: Was forced to resign by the university's governing body. In 2003, Nick Greiner , a former Premier of New South Wales , resigned from his position as chair of the university's Graduate School of Management because of academic protests against his simultaneous chairmanship of British American Tobacco (Australia). Subsequently, his wife, Kathryn Greiner , resigned in protest from the two positions she held at

26690-400: Was founded as part of the University of Sydney in 1938 and in 1954 was separated to become the University of New England . During the late 1960s, the University of Sydney was at the centre of rows to introduce courses on Marxism and feminism at the major Australian universities. At one stage, newspaper reporters descended on the university to cover brawls, demonstrations, secret memos and

26860-417: Was invented by British physician Edward Jenner , who published his findings on the efficacy of the practice for smallpox in 1798. By 1801, the practice had been widely endorsed in the scientific community, and by several world leaders. Philadelphia physician John Redman Coxe , noting that even then false accounts were circulated of negative effects of vaccination, wrote, "Such are the falsehoods which impede

27030-704: Was irresponsible to keep combining vaccines without knowing the effects. In 2006, Meryl Dorey continued the attack on combined vaccines, claiming it was un-natural, as "It is a fact that [humans] will only ever contract one disease at a time." According to the British Medical Journal combined vaccines have actually shown reduced side effects, and it is quite common for humans to suffer simultaneously from several infections. In 2011 social scientist Brian Martin wrote an essay "Debating vaccination" in Living Wisdom , on "attacks" and "suppression" AVN members faced. In

27200-539: Was needed on the vaccine before it was offered to the public and that it could prove to be more dangerous than the flu itself. She told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the swine flu should be treated no differently from the seasonal flu and that the government was wasting money by spending over a hundred million dollars on the vaccine. Dorey's claims were rejected by the Australian Medical Association and other medical experts. In May 2010

27370-519: Was no longer required in the United Kingdom. New vaccines were developed and used against diseases such as diphtheria and whooping cough . In the UK, these were often introduced on a voluntary basis, without arousing the same kind of anti-vaccination response that had accompanied compulsory smallpox vaccination. In the United States, numerous measles outbreaks occurred in the 1960s and 1970s, and were shown to be more frequent in states that lacked mandatory vaccination requirements. This led to calls in

27540-529: Was reported in The Daily Telegraph that Tasha David and Meryl Dorey were at the event to "prove that Australia was a testing ground for the rest of the world". In March 2016 the AVN announced its intention to legally challenge the Federal 'no jab no pay' laws, with the return of spokesperson Meryl Dorey stating "[w]hat the government is doing is unconstitutional, immoral and illegal, and they need to be shown

27710-464: Was retracted in 2010 but is still cited by anti-vaccine activists. The claims in the paper were widely reported, leading to a sharp drop in vaccination rates in the UK and Ireland. Promotion of the claimed link, which continued in anti-vaccination propaganda for the next three decades despite being refuted, was estimated to have led to an increase in the incidence of measles and mumps , resulting in deaths and serious permanent injuries. Following

27880-527: Was succeeded by Alfred Milnes. Frances Hoggan and her husband authored an article for the Vaccination Inquirer in September 1883 which argued against compulsory vaccination. The London Society focused on lobbying parliamentary support in the 1880s and early 1890s. They gained support from several members of the House of Commons of which the most prominent was Peter Alfred Taylor , the member for Leicester , which

28050-573: Was the League's chief spokesman and pamphleteer. Historian James Colgrove noted that Higgins "attempted to overturn the New York State's law mandating vaccination of students in public schools". The League should not be confused with the Anti-Vaccination Society of America , that was formed in 1879. Higgins was criticized by medical experts for spreading misinformation and ignoring facts as to

28220-648: Was the cause for the rise and fall in whooping cough cases... because we do not have herd immunity to the illness on the Northern Rivers". The Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network believes that vaccines contain a variety of toxic ingredients that have no place in the human body. The group argues that these alleged toxins can cause autism , ADHD , brain damage, and cancer, among other serious side effects. In response to medical and scientific research that shows few side effects to most vaccines, Dorey argues that doctors are very hesitant to report adverse reactions and thus

28390-467: Was the first graduate. The university was Australia's first, as well as being one of the first public, non-denominational and secular universities in the British Empire . On 27 February 1858, the university received a royal charter from Queen Victoria , giving degrees conferred by the university rank and recognition equal to those given by universities in the United Kingdom. In 1858, the passage of

28560-597: Was titled "The City and Suburban Electric Railways and the Sydney Harbour Bridge". Bradfield went on to be the lead engineer for the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge . The university's professor of philosophy from 1927 to 1958, John Anderson , was a significant figure referred to as "Sydney's best known academic". A native of Scotland, Anderson's controversial views as a self-proclaimed atheist and advocate of free thought in all subjects raised

28730-459: Was unnatural and an attempt to thwart divine judgment. Religious arguments against inoculation , the earliest arguments against vaccination, were soon advanced. For example, in a 1722 sermon entitled "The Dangerous and Sinful Practice of Inoculation", the English theologian Reverend Edmund Massey argued that diseases are sent by God to punish sin and that any attempt to prevent smallpox via inoculation

28900-518: Was widely practiced, and the society published a periodical opposing it, called Vaccination . A series of American legal cases, beginning in various states and culminating with that of Henning Jacobson of Massachusetts in 1905, upheld the mandating of compulsory smallpox vaccination for the good of the public. The court ruled in Jacobson v. Massachusetts that "the liberty secured by the Constitution of

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